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Arrow Season 6 Episode 3 Review: Next of Kin

John Diggle has faced several challenges throughout the years on Arrow. But can he protect Star City as the new Green Arrow?

That is the big question in the latest chapter of Arrow Season 6 following Oliver's big request. How did Arrow Season 6 Episode 3 handle that?

I'll admit that I was extremely nervous how Arrow would deal with this storyline. What part of having a new Green Arrow who has a serious nerve damage sounds good?

In theory, it shouldn't work at all. If you're going to be an archer...you might need to be able to have control of your aim.

But "Next of Kin" manages to walk around that problem, in good and bad ways. I'll confess that this storyline wasn't as messy as I thought it would be.

Don't get me wrong; it's crazy that a Green Arrow show doesn't have Oliver Queen being the hero. But at this point, Oliver has quit being the Emerald Archer so many times that I'm going along with it.

However, I still enjoyed the main plot of "Next of Kin" because it played out the way I would expect. Diggle choked and messed up because this is a completely new role that he is taking on.

If the other characters hadn't reacted the way they did, "Next of Kin" wouldn't have worked. Rene getting pissed with Diggle's leadership and going to Oliver was the natural reaction.

I even loved Dinah's reasoning for backing Diggle when she was, in fact, doing it for the team's sake. To be clear, I'm absolutely not rooting against Diggle.

It's more that I'm rooting for a storyline that makes some sense. If Diggle is going to be out there as the Green Arrow, I don't want it to be easy for him.

What did drive me crazy was Oliver's extremely delayed reaction to all of this. Last time he explained that he couldn't be Green Arrow because he has a child to think about.

But then he remembered what pretty much the universe was saying: Diggle has a kid too! However, Oliver and common sense don't always go along.

I'm mixed about Oliver's "you are the reason why I put the hood on" speech. While I buy it, a bit, that is only convenient writing.

I challenge anyone to go back to Arrow Season 1 and find an episode where this was implied. Unless The Flash's Flashpoint retcon that season, Oliver's pep talk doesn't work.

Last I checked, I believe Oliver became a vigilante to honor his father. Remember that whole thing about a list of corrupted people in Star City?

Yeah me too. Nevertheless, Diggle manages to come through for the team and saves the day...but not in the most honest way.

It was too good to be true when Diggle was able to use that new crossbow without shaking. I didn't expect Diggle's secret to be that he was using a drug to help him be steady.

But voila, here we are. I get why Diggle is doing it, but I also see how bad this will end as drugs are never the solutions to issues like this.

In a very weird way, it does come off as a slight nod to Roy's iconic storyline in the comics titled "Snowbirds Don't Fly." Roy was revealed to be a heroin addict in one of the most iconic DC stories of all time.

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. But focusing on Diggle's situation, I only see bad outcomes for him to the point where it wouldn't shock me if he loses that arm.

While Oliver had pretty much nothing interesting to do in "Next of Kin," something did happen. We knew that the rebirth of the romance between Oliver and Felicity was on its way.

Surprisingly...it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. To be clear, I'm cautiously optimistic that Arrow won't overdo this romance this time.

If Arrow can somehow avoid doing a repeat of its two weakest seasons...it's good enough for me. I did genuinely enjoy Felicity's interaction with William though.

I also dig the fact that Agent Watson was observant about the "real Green Arrow." Her comment about the archer having not fired any arrows lately, made me love her even more.

Agent Watson might be the smartest character on Arrow as of right now. She is a different type of villain that Arrow hasn't had in a long time, and it's refreshing to see that.

The whole side story with Onyx and her squad going after some gas? It didn't do much for me because they were extremely one-dimensional. This is what Arrow usually does in its first few episodes of any new season.

We usually have to deal with random bad guys before getting closer to the main threat of said season. This season is slightly different because we're facing a legion of baddies which I'm looking forward to.

Overall, "Next of Kin" worked better than I imagined it would. Diggle using a drug to keep himself steady is a letdown, but the only way that he can be the Green Arrow.

Oliver and Felicity getting back together is something that can go either way. But the highlight of "Next of Kin" was without doubt Agent Watson.

Now it's your turn to let us know what you thought of Arrow Season 6 Episode 4! How did you enjoy Diggle as the new Green Arrow?

Are you excited that Felicity and Oliver are back together again? Let us know in the comments below.

Remember you can watch Arrow online right here via TV Fanatic! Catch up with the new Green Arrow!

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Oliver: My name is Oliver Queen. After five years of hell, I returned home with only one goal: to save my city. But I couldn't honor that commitment and honor the promise I made to the mother of my son. So I asked the best man that I know to help. His name is John Diggle and he is the Green Arrow!